Hammer-rail control



May 25,1926.

H. S. MILLS I HAMMER RAIL CONTROL Filed April 14. 1924 III; "/6

Patented May 25, 1926.

UNITED stares rarest ar s HERBERT s. MILLS, or OAK PARK, ILLIiIcIs, as'srenon To MILLS NOVELTY COMPANY,

or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, A oonrcn armn or ILLIncIs.

HAMMER-RAIL CONTROL.

Application filed. April 14, 1924. Serial No. 706,431.

This invention relates to a hammer-rail control and the like for use in pianos and particularly in such devices operated by electrical current and controlled by perforated note sheets or by manually operated keys, as desired.

The invention is fully described in the following specification and shown in the ac companylng drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my device applied to the hammer-rail of a piano; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 2 of Fig. 1.

The embodiment illustrated shows a hammer-rail controlling device adapted to be used on a player piano suchas the type shown and described in the patent to Henry K. Sandell, No. 1,504,789, granted August 12, 1924:.

This embodiment comprises a series of electro-magnets 10, 11, 12 and 13 placed in end to end relation and secured upon atube 14 of non-magnetic material, the whole be ing mounted upon a frame 15 which is adapted to be secured by means of lugs 16 within the player piano.

A series of cores 17, 18, 19 and 20 of material of high permeability as soft iron are secured together in end to end relation as by means of non-magnetic shouldered studs 21 which are screwed into adjacent ends of the cores. Felt rings 22 are placed about the shouldered studs 21 and between the cores and the whole is slidably mounted within the tube 14 which is preferably of brass.

The upper core 17 is hingedly connected to a link 23 by means of a pin 24. The upper portion of this link is adjustably connected to a member 25 by means of a bolt 26. The member 25 is pivotally connected at 27 to the hammer-rail 28, the latter being adapted to swing about the pins 29 in a well-known manner.

It will be observed in Fig. 2 that the cores are longer than the corresponding electrc magnets so that only one of said cores can be centrally located with respect to its electro-magnet at any time. Conversely as each electro-magnet is energized its core will move to a central position, thereby moving the hammer-rail 28 to a position which corresponds to the particular electro-magnet energized.

Thus in Fig. 2 as illustrated, the electromagnet 11 is shown to be energized, the core 18 being centrally disposed with relation thereto.- This position of the cores holds the hammer-rail in next to its lowest position, the lowest being attained when the electro-magnet 10 only is energized, thereby drawing the cores and hammer-rail down to the lowest point. With the hammer-rail at the lowest point the hammers of the piano (not shown) will consequently move the greatest distance, thereby giving the loudest tone. In the same way energizing the magnet 13 only gives the softest tone obtainable and the next softest is obtained by energizing the magnet 12.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifloat-ions. Changes therefore in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

Vihat I claim as new, and desire to secure b Letters Patent, is:

1. In a player piano action, a movable hammer-rail, a series of electro-magnets, a core for each magnet, said cores being secured together in end to end relation and operably connected to said hammer-rail, said cores being slidable in a tube about which said electro-magnets are mounted, said cores having a different longitudinal spacing from said electro-magnets whereby the position of the hammer-rail depends upon the electro-magnet actuated.

2. In a player piano action, a movable hammer-rail, a series of electro-magnets, a core'for each magnet, said cores being secured together in end to end relation and operably connected to said hammer-rail, said cores being slidable in a tube about which said electromagnets are mounted, the centers of said cores being spaced farther apart than the centers of said electro-magnets whereby said cores assume different definite positions as each of said electro-magnets are separately actuated.

3. In a player piano action, a movable hammer-rail, a series of electro-magnets, a core for each magnet, said cores being secured together in end to end relation and connected to said hammevrail by a hinged link, said cores having a different longitudinal spacing from said electro-magnets whereby the position of the hammer-rail depends upon the electro-magnet actuated.

4. In a player piano action, a movable hammer-rail, a series of electro-inagncts, a core "for each magnet, said cores being secured together in end to end relation and operably connected to said hammer-rail, said cores being slidable in a tube about which said electro-magnets are mounted, said cores having a different longitudinal spacingfrom said electro-magnets whereby the position of the hammer-rail depends upon the electro-magnet actuated, said cores being moveable vertically so that their Weight will tend to draw back the hammer rail When all electro-magncts are de-energized.

HERBERT S. MILLS. 

